Vadodara: For a state that has won just one Olympic medal in hockey, Gujarat has an unusually rich hockey legacy—and much of it traces back to Vadodara. The city’s name is etched in the state’s sporting history through Govindrao Sawant, the Baroda hockey player who was part of the Indian team that won silver at the 1960 Rome Olympics.The tradition has continued over the decades, with Vadodara producing a steady stream of players who have represented Gujarat at national-level competitions. As recently as this year, young girls from the city featured in the junior nationals.The irony, however, is hard to miss: a city with such a strong hockey pedigree does not have a proper, permanent ground for its players to practise or play. Senior and junior players currently train on a small patch of land in Akota—barely half the size of a standard hockey ground—and even that space may soon be lost.On National Sports Day, observed on the birth anniversary of hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand, players and coaches are hoping for a permanent home for the sport.“Our players have to practise on a ground that is almost half the size of a hockey ground. How are they expected to hone their skills and compete with players from better-equipped associations?” said Ashish Tekale, president of Hockey Baroda. “Despite the lack of proper facilities, our players continue to perform well at the national level. But if we want to keep producing quality players, we need a permanent venue.”Seven years ago, the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) allotted Hockey Baroda a ground in Akota. Association officials said the plot was not suitable for hockey, forcing them to spend lakhs of rupees to improve the playing surface and create basic facilities for players.Now, they face the prospect of losing that ground too. “The VMC wants the plot back for another project. The civic body has promised to allot us another piece of land, but we do not know when or where that will happen,” Tekale said.More than 150 boys and girls currently train with Hockey Baroda, the city’s recognised hockey association. Coaching is provided free of cost to players at both junior and senior levels. “In the past four years, we have produced 25 national-level hockey players. With Gujarat set to host the Commonwealth Games in 2030, our aim is to take hockey in the city to the next level,” Tekale said.The VMC has now proposed a designated hockey ground at the upcoming Ankodia sports complex. Until that materialises, however, Vadodara’s hockey players—despite the city’s proud hockey history and a growing pool of national-level talent—will continue to make do with a cramped patch tucked away in a corner, surrounded by debris and mounds of mud.History of struggleThe association’s struggle for a ground dates back several years. It lost access to the historic Kala Bhavan hockey ground on Rajmahal Road after a dispute over property taxes. The plot, owned by the Gaekwad royal family, became embroiled in a controversy after the VMC levied a hefty commercial tax. Unable to pay the dues, the civic body sealed the ground, leaving hockey players without a playing venue. In 2018, the royal family paid Rs 32 lakh in taxes and took back possession of the property.
